CITY BRIEFS

Georgetown hosts blood drive October 29

Donate blood at Georgetown and nonprofit community blood supplier We Are Blood’s community blood drive 9 a.m.-1 p.m., October 29, outside the Georgetown Recreation Center, 1003 North Austin Avenue.

People interested in donating must be 17 years old or older, weigh at least 115 pounds and be in good overall health. A valid government-issued ID is required to donate. Donors are encouraged to eat a meal two or three hours before donation.

While walk-in appointments are accepted, donors with appointments will be prioritized. Appointments can be made online at https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule or by calling 512-2061242 or 512-206-1266.

Georgetown’s most recent We Are Blood drive was September 16. Because donors must wait 56 days between whole-blood donations, those that attended the September drive are not eligible for the October 29 event. Additionally, people who recently tested positive or are showing symptoms of Covid-19 should not donate.

Additional information about city sponsored blood drives is available online at https://parks.georgetown.org/blood-drives.

Imagine a Day Without Water

As Georgetown conservation efforts continue, the city is participating in Imagine a Day Without Water, a national day of action to raise awareness and educate residents on the importance of water conservation. This year’s observance takes place Thursday.

“The Georgetown Water team works around the clock to provide several millions of gallons of clean, drinkable water to more than 50,000 customers every day — water that not only helps us in our daily necessities, but also goes into manufacturing, fire prevention, and more,” Water Director Chelsea Solomon said. “This day is an opportunity to celebrate how important water is to our lives.”

Throughout the day, businesses on the Square — including Hydrate and Black Sugar Cafe — will hand out free cups with a themed design. A water conservation booth will be set up as part of the city’s Autumn Art Stroll, which takes place the same day. The booth will be in the Grace Heritage Center, 817 South Main Street.

Participating businesses will also hand out stamps for an information postcard, which people can turn in at the city’s booth between 4-8 p.m. to be entered into a goodie bag giveaway.

The water conservation team will also be at the South Main Arts District, located between Founder’s Park and the Grace Heritage Center, on Sunday for the South Main Arts Festival. From 10 a.m. through 6 p.m., people can make bids on painted rain barrels selected as part of the city’s Painted Rain Barrel Project. The barrels, which were decorated by residents, will be auctioned off to raise money for water conservation education and outreach efforts in area school systems. Bids start at $125.

Additional information is available online at www.water.georgetown.org. — Brigid Cooley